That's Not How It Ended
by IHeartFanFiction23
Summary: "it's ridiculous" she said "what is?" he asked her "the last Harry Potter book. That's not how it ended." So just how did it really end? SPOILER ALERT: Contains spoilers for seventh book. If you haven't read, don't read. R


**Summary: **"it's ridiculous" she said "what is?" he asked her "the last Harry Potter book. That's not how it ended." So just how did it really end?

**Pairing: **at the end of the story.

**SPOILER ALERT: **Contains spoilers of sixth and seventh book. If you haven't read them then don't read.

_**Nineteen Years Later**_

_Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple, and as the little family bobbed across the rumbling road towards the great sooty station, the fumes of car exhausts and the breath of pedestrians sparkled like cobwebs in the cold air.__ Two large cages rattled on top of the laden trolleys the parents were pushing, the owls inside hooted indignantly, and the red-headed girl trailed tearfully behind her brothers, clutching her father's arm_

"_It won't be long, and you'll be going too" Harry told her_

_"__Two years__"__ sniffed Lily "I want to go _now!_"_

_The commuters stared curiously at the owls as the family wove its way towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Albus's voice drifted back to Harry over the surrounding clamour; his sons had resumed the argument that they had started in the car_

_"__I _won't! _I _won't _be in Slytherin!"_

_"__James, give it a rest" said Ginny_

_"__I only said he _might _be" said James, grinning at his younger brother "there's nothing wrong with that. He _might _be in Slyth—'_

_But James caught his mother's eye and fell silent. The five Potters approached the barrier. With a slightly cocky look over his shoulder at his younger brother, James took the trolley from his mother and broke into a run. A moment later he had vanished_

_"__You'll write to me, won't you?" Albus asked his parents immediately, capitalising on the momentary absence of his brother_

_"__Every day, if you want us to" said Ginny_

_"__Not _every _day" Albus said quickly "James says most people only get letters from home once a month"_

_"__We wrote to James three times a week last year" said Ginny_

_"__And you don't want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts" Harry put in "he likes laugh, your brother."_

_Side by side, they pushed the second trolley forwards, gathering speed. As they reached the barrier, Albus winced, but no collision came. Instead, the family emerged on to platform nine and three-quarters, which was obscured by thick, white steam that was pouring from the scarlet Hogwarts Express. Indistinct figures were swarming through the mist, into which James had already disappeared_

_"__Where are?" asked Albus anxiously, peering around the hazy forms they passed as they made their way down the platform_

_"__We'll fine them" said Ginny._

_But the vapour was dense, and it was difficult to make out anyone's faces. Detached from their owners, voices sounded unnaturally loud. Harry thought he heard Percy discoursing loudly on broomstick regulations, and was quite glad of the excuse not to stop and say hello…_

_"__I think that's them there, Al" said Ginny suddenly._

_A group of four people emerged from the mist, standing alongside the very last carriage. Their faces only came into focus when Harry, Ginny, Lily and Albus had drawn right up to them_

_"__Hi" said Albus, sounding immensely relieved._

_Rose, who was already wearing her brand new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him_

_"__Parked alright, then?" Ron asked Harry "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to Confund the examiner"_

_"__No, I didn't" said Hermione "I had complete faith in you"_

_"__As a matter of fact, I _did _Confund him" Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Albus's trunk and owl on to the train "I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can use a Supersensory Charm for that."_

_Back on the platform, they found Lily and Hugo, Rose's younger brother, having an animated discussion about which house they would be sorted into when they finally went to Hogwarts_

_"__If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you" said Ron "but no pressure"_

_"_Ron!_"_

_Lily and Hugo laughed, but Albus and Rose looked solemn_

_"__He doesn't mean it" said Hermione and Ginny, but Ron was no longer paying attention._

_Catching Harry's eye, he nodded covertly to a point some fifty yards away. The steam thinned, and there three people stood in sharp relief against the shifting mist_

_"__Look who it is."_

_Draco Malfoy was there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasised the pointed chin. The new boy resembled Draco as much as Albus resembled Harry. Draco caught sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny staring at him, nodded curtly and turned away again_

_"__So that's little Scorpius" said Ron under his breath "make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains"_

_"__Ron, for heaven's sake" said Hermione, half-stern, half-amused "don't try to turn them against each other they've even started school"_

_"__You're right, sorry" said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added "don't get _too_ friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood"_

_"__Hey!"_

_James had reappeared; he had divested himself of his trunk, owl and trolley, and was evidently bursting of news_

_"__Teddy's back there" he said breathlessly, pointing over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam "just seen him! And guess what he's doing? _Snogging _Victoire!"_

_He gazed up at the adults, evidently disappointed by the lack of reaction_

_"_Our _Teddy! _Teddy Lupin! _Snogging _our _Victoire! _Our _cousin! And I asked Teddy was he was doing-"_

"_You interrupted them?" said Ginny "you are so like Ron-"_

_"__-and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's _snogging _her!" James added, as though worried he had not made himself clear_

_"__Oh, wouldn't it be lovely if they got married!" whispered Lily ecstatically "Teddy would be _really_ part of the family then"_

_"__He already comes around for dinner about four times a week" said Harry "why don't we just invite him to live with us and have done with it?"_

_"__Yeah!" said James enthusiastically "I don't mind sharing with Al – Teddy can have my room!"_

_"__No" said Harry firmly "you and Al will share a room only when I want the house demolished."_

_He checked the batted, old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's_

_"__It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board"_

_"__Don't forget to give Neville our love" Ginny told James as she hugged him_

_"__Mum! I give a Professor _love!_"_

_"__But you _know _Neville-"_

_James rolled his eyes_

_"__Outside, yeah, but at school he's Professor Longbottom, isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him _love_…"_

_Shaking his head at his mother's foolishness, he vented his feelings by aiming a kick at Albus_

_"__See you later, Al. Watch out for the Thestrals"_

_"__I thought you said they were invisible? _You said they were invisible!"

_But James merely laughed, permitted his mother to kiss him, gave his father a fleeting hug, then leapt aboard the rapidly filling train. They saw him wave, then sprint away up the corridor to his friends_

_"__Thestrals are nothing to worry about" Harry told Albus "they're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to the school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."_

_Ginny kissed Albus goodbye_

_"__See you at Christmas"_

_"__Bye, Al" said Harry as his son hugged him "don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone 'til you've learnt how. And don't let James wind you up"_

_"__What if I'm in Slytherin?"_

_The whisper was for his father alone, and Harry knew that only the moment of departure could have forced Albus to reveal how great and sincere that fear was._

_Harry crouched down so that Albus' face was slightly above his own. Alone of Harry's three children, Albus had inherited Lily's eyes_

_"__Albus Severus" Harry said quietly, so that nobody but Ginny could hear, and she was tactful enough to pretend to be waving to Rose, who was now on the train "you were named for two headmasters for Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew"_

_"__But _just say _-"_

_"__-then Slytherin house will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account"_

_"__Really?"_

_"__It did for me" said Harry._

_He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Albus's face when he said it. But now the doors were slamming all along the scarlet train, and the blurred outlines of parents swarming forwards for final kisses, last-minute reminders__. Albus jumped into the carriage and Ginny closed the door behind him. Students were hanging from the windows nearest them. A great number of faces, both on the train and off seemed to be turned towards Harry_

_"__Why are they all _staring_?" demanded Albus, as he and Rose craned round to look at the other students_

_"__Don't let it worry you" said Ron "it's me. I'm extremely famous."_

_Albus, Rose, Hugo and Lily laughed. The train began to move, and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's thin face , already ablaze with excitement. Harry kept smiling, and waving, even though it was like a little bereavement, watching his son glide away from him…_

_The last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air. The train rounded a corner. Harry's hand was still raised in farewell_

_"__He'll be alright" murmured Ginny._

_As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absent-mindedly and touched the lightning scar on his forehead_

_"__I know he will."_

_The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well._

The book was snapped shut and a snort was heard from the woman—who appeared to be in her forties—who had just finished reading _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_. If she had to admit, she did actually like the ending even if it was, in her opinion completely wrong. Technically it wasn't her opinion but actually life. The epilogue in the _Deathly Hallows_ was completely wrong. No, book six and book seven were completely wrong as well as parts in all the other books

"It's ridiculous" she muttered to herself

"What is?" a voice asked her.

Looking up, she smiled when she saw her husband standing in the doorway watching her. How she loved the man, she had always loved him ever since she was a child and had first met him. Now, here they were, thirty four years later happily married with several kids. _Several_ being the operative word. Remembering what he had asked her about what she said was ridiculous, she held up the book

"The last Harry Potter book, that's what" she replied rolling her eyes.

Her husband walked over to her and sat himself down beside her on the arm of the chair she was sitting in. Grabbing the book, he flipped through to the epilogue and began to read. His wife patiently waited for him to finish reading and when he finally did, twenty minutes later, he looked up with an amused look on his face. She glared at him and he chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her tenderly on the lips

"So, just how did it end?" he inquired with a knowing smirk

"Well, for starters, Ron and Hermione most certainly did not get married and have two children called Rose and Hugo. Ron is married to Luna Lovegood and they have two children, Michael and Claire Weasley. Harry did not marry Ginny, in fact the youngest Weasley is currently married to one Draco Malfoy with a young son named Nathaniel.

Book six and book seven are completely wrong as well as bits are missing from the others" when she noted her husband's raised eyebrow, she continued "in book four, after Hermione sends Harry and Ron to bed after she and Ron get into a fight, what is not mentioned is that Harry actually comes back down to comfort Hermione and they dance. And don't get me started on book six and seven" she finished.

Her husband wrapped an arm around her

"Relax, my love, they're just books" he told her

"I know" she grumbled "but I mean come on" she added

"Why, because no one knew the truth that Hermione Granger was actually was anorexic and had to suffer for three years until she was nineteen?"

The woman growled at her husband and he sighed, rubbing his forehead as a headache was forming. Pregnant women were so not his forte

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up" he apologized as his wife continued to glare at him before her mood quickly changed

"Don't forget the fight Harry and Hermione had when they were eighteen" she said "she kicked his ass."

The man grunted

"Real funny" he muttered.

The sound of the front door to the mansion opening was heard followed by voices of children and two young adults arguing with each other.

The man looked at his wife as she laughed

"Rubella and Max are as stubborn as ever" she said

"That's because they inherited your stubbornness" he reminded her

"Yours too"

"MUM, Max called a stubborn mule again" Rubella's voice rang out

"That's because she is" they heard Max say

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Am not."

Harry Potter sighed as he stood and helped his pregnant wife to stand

"Here we go again" he groaned

"They may be adults, but they act like children" Hermione Potter shook her head as headed to the kitchen to start making snacks for their children and grandchildren.

The End


End file.
